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Turkish Press Review, 07-01-12
From: Turkish Directorate General of Press and Information <http://www.byegm.gov.tr>
Summary of the political and economic
news in the Turkish press this morning
12.01.2007
CONTENTS
[01] COMMENTING ON MIT STATEMENTS, ERDOGAN SAYS THERE SHOULD BE NO SPECULATION ABOUT THE AGENCY
[00]
MIT CELEBRATES 80TH ANNIVERSARY
[02] BUYUKANIT CONGRATULATES BULGARIA, ROMANIA ON THEIR NEW EU MEMBERSHIP
[03] GUL: "WE HOPE THE US NEW STRATEGY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL"
[04] BAYKAL ACCUSES PM OF "AGGRESSIVENESS," SAYS HE NEEDS REST
[05] MHP's BAHCELI BRANDS ERDOGAN "SEASONAL NATIONALIST"
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: "THE LOKMACI GATE WON'T BE OPENED BEFORE TURKISH SOLDIERS WITHDRAW"
[07] BASER DISPLEASED ABOUT LACK OF PROGRESS AGAINST TERRORISM
[08] CB HEAD: "WE AREN'T PLEASED WITH 9.65% INFLATION LAST YEAR, AS THE TARGET WAS 5%"
[09] WHILE BUSH SPOKE
[01] COMMENTING ON MIT STATEMENTS, ERDOGAN SAYS THERE SHOULD BE NO
SPECULATION ABOUT THE AGENCY
Appearing on television yesterday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
commented on recent statements by the National Intelligence Agency (MIT)
head advocating that Turkey take a more active policy in its region, saying
that the agency was one of the nation's most important institutions. "There
shouldn't be any speculation about the agency," said Erdogan. "This
statement was made to mark the 80th anniversary of the institution, and it
shouldn't be blown out of proportion. I attended a ceremony of the agency
before coming on this program." Commenting on US President George W. Bush's
new Iraq strategy, Erdogan said that Ankara wanted concrete steps to be
taken in Iraq. "Otherwise we consider these remarks a diversion," he said.
"I personally told the president this." Also commenting on this year's
general and presidential elections, Erdogan said that some circles were
speculating about how much support his party has. "Everyone should respect
the will of the nation," added Erdogan. "If the nation is pleased with us,
then it will vote for us." /Turkiye/
[00]
MIT CELEBRATES 80TH ANNIVERSARY
Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MIT) celebrated its 80th anniversary
yesterday. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc and Chief of General Staff Gen.
Yasar Buyukanit attended a reception marking the anniversary. /Star/
[02] BUYUKANIT CONGRATULATES BULGARIA, ROMANIA ON THEIR NEW EU MEMBERSHIP
Chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit and other high-ranking military
officials yesterday attended a reception celebrating the new EU membership
of Bulgaria and Romania. Regarding the US new strategy on Iraq, Buyukanit
said that said that US President George W. Bush had addressed incidents on
the Turkish-Iraqi border. "I think he was talking about border security,"
Buyukanit said. "I will visit the US on February 11-16." /Hurriyet/
[03] GUL: "WE HOPE THE US NEW STRATEGY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL"
Commenting yesterday on US President George W. Bush new strategy for Iraq,
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said he hoped it would be successful and
bring peace to the nation. Nobody can say at the moment whether it will be
successful, but Turkey will continue its support and contribute to
stability in Iraq, Gul told a joint press conference after meeting with
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Aboul Gheit. /Star/
[04] BAYKAL ACCUSES PM OF "AGGRESSIVENESS," SAYS HE NEEDS REST
Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal said
yesterday that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was pursuing an
aggressive attitude and that he needed to take a rest. Baykal said that the
ruling party hadn't displayed its recent controversial holiday posters in
Turkey's eastern and southeastern regions, adding that he was aggressive
due to this. "He's trying to bluster through the issue with a harsh style,"
claimed Baykal. /Sabah/
[05] MHP's BAHCELI BRANDS ERDOGAN "SEASONAL NATIONALIST"
Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet
Bahceli said yesterday that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was a
"seasonal nationalist," adding that Erdogan had shifted his rhetoric due to
this year's approaching general elections. Commenting on the debate over
the ruling party's holiday posters, Bahceli said that he wasn't interested
in the issue. /Milliyet/
[06] PAPADOPOULOS: "THE LOKMACI GATE WON'T BE OPENED BEFORE TURKISH
SOLDIERS WITHDRAW"
Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos said yesterday that the Lokmaci
Border Gate wouldn't be opened before the Turkish soldiers stationed there
withdraw. Papadopoulos further stated that preliminary groundwork needed to
be laid before he could meet with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) President Mehmet Ali Talat. /Star/
[07] BASER DISPLEASED ABOUT LACK OF PROGRESS AGAINST TERRORISM
Turkey's special envoy for countering terrorism, retired Gen. Edip Baser,
yesterday said that he was satisfied with the mechanism established between
Turkey and the US on countering terrorism, but was displeased about a lack
of positive developments from it. "It is among Turkey's options to
intervene in this problem with or without the US," said Baser. /Cumhuriyet/
[08] CB HEAD: "WE AREN'T PLEASED WITH 9.65% INFLATION LAST YEAR, AS THE
TARGET WAS 5%"
Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz said yesterday that the CB wasn't
pleased with last year's 9.65% inflation since the target was 5%. "If we're
looking for who's responsible here, the CB is responsible for this," said
Yilmaz. "We aren't making excuses." Asked if the CB's inflation targeting
timing was inappropriate, Yilmaz said that it wasn't. /Sabah/
FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�FROM THE COLUMNS�
[09] WHILE BUSH SPOKE
Columnist Nasuhi Gungor comments on US President George W. Bush's new Iraq
strategy and Turkey's stance on it. A summary of his column is as follows:
"There has been curiosity about the new Iraq strategy of US President
George W. Bush. But meanwhile something happened, and this development is
very important so we can understand what he says and what will happen in
the future. US soldiers raided an Iranian liaison office in Erbil, northern
Iraq. Five officials were detained, and computers and documents in the
building were seized. The raid took place at almost the same time as Bush's
announcement of his Iraq strategy. When Bush was saying that military
measures would be taken to counter the hostile actions of Iran and Syria
against coalition forces in Iraq, the raid was taking place at the Iranian
liaison office. Tehran's reaction to this will probably be harsh. In
addition, yesterday the news said that Iranian Prime Minister Nouri al-
Maliki warned that Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army should be
ready for all-out war. In fact, yesterday Bush said that Maliki guaranteed
that there would be no discrimination between religious sects and political
ideologies during the security operations. So US-Iranian relations this
year will be very tense but open to negotiating. These two countries'
conflict might make Iraq even bloodier. Iran won't just sit and watch the
Iraqi actors being driven into a corner. Probably it will be difficult for
the Maliki administration to overcome Iran's pressure during this period.
As for the part of the issue which concerns Turkey, Bush stated that the US
would work together with the Turkish and Iraqi governments and help these
countries solve their problems on their borders, which is an indication
that the terrorist PKK isn't a priority for the US. Certain developments
can be expected which will strengthen Ankara's stance of being prepared for
all contingencies, including a military operation. However, criticisms of
the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) undersecretary's recent remarks show
that Turkey needs great efforts and serious perspectives in order to rework
its relations in the wake of the Cold War. It won't be easy for Turkey to
face up to the reality that a country's borders alone aren't enough to
determine an identity. However, the days when geographical borders
determined the limits of loyalty are a thing of the past now."
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